Good point.

That's one of the things I was thinking of when I posted my question.

Step 1, for me, would be an analysis of the water re alkilinity and PH. Maybe some of the guys from your area can tell you where to mail a water sample to get that done. You can get a general but not really accurate idea by using swimming pool test strips.

The big cats could be a wild card regarding the bass sizes.

What are the bluegill overall sizes? If the runt bass are eating the BG when they are very small, you need to cull a lot of small bass. The bass needs BG that are between 1/4 to 1/3 it size to thrive. The runt bass might be eating the BG before they can get large enough to feed a bigger bass. It's a matter of energy expended vs calories obtained and a big bass can starve trying to live on minnows.

What is the low visibility? You are able to see nests and small fish so it doesn't seem to be all that bad. Unless it is really turbid(muddy), a "healthy" pond ought to have 18 to 24 inches when using a sechi disk. Make your own with the top of a white paint bucket, string and a weight. Or, you wear a pair of white sneakers and see where you can no longer see them. Use a yard stick to measure. The visibility indicates the planktonic base which is the indication of a healthy pond. What color is the water? Does it look like good clean water? Is there an odor? From the pictures, it looks OK and the stuff you dug out doesn't look like the pudding that generally indicates a need to drain and dig out.

Digging out and renovating an old pond isn't as easy to do as it seems like. The muck in the bottom has to dry before it can really be mechanically removed. During that time, rain is not your friend. I know a guy in West Texas that has been waiting for a couple of years for enough rain to refill his pond.

Killing and/or draining might be a solution that is looking for a problem. And, it will be a very expensive solution. Before I did that, I would pay for a Pro to do an analysis. Prior to the Pro coming, I would fish it and keep a comprehensive log of everything that you catch and observe. A Pro will thank you for that and be able to really give you your moneys worth. And he will be a lot cheaper than diesel. I don't know any from your area.

It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP